multi note, non-chord nomenclature

i have a nomenclature/theroy question here. so i'm deconstructing pixies' "here comes your man", just seeing how it's built. the first riff is basically just D A Em G played in the top string triads (similar to an open D shape).

but there is another riff that plays multi-note "chords". but they aren't chords because they only have two notes. the tab is as follows:


all on the top highest two strings e, B:

2 3 0 10

3 3 2 10

so the notes for these are:

F# G E_ D

D_ D C# A

number 2 is G5 and number 4 is D5. however numbers 1 and 3 are not entire chords. they are part of a chord. the first one (D, F#) is the 1st and 3rd note in D major. the third one (C#, E) are the 3rd and 5th notes in A major.

but these aren't complete chords. i understand that they sound good because they are basically the same notes as in the chords, even if they aren't technically complete chords. is there a name for these two note half-chords? any specific technique on using them or applying them?

and i assume these are just "learned" by forming an entire chord and ignornig some of the notes? i.e. the first one (e2, B3, x x x x) is just the same as open D major but ignoring all but the e and B strings...

They are called harmonic intervals when just two notes are played at once.

i would prefer to just call them intervals

okay. i know there's logic behind it, so i'm not sure exactly what i'm asking... but in this instance, you are just playing parts of a chord. in some cases it's 1-5 (power chord), some cases it's 1-3, some cases it's 3-5. but all of these "intervals" all contain part of a major chord.

is it correct to assume that intervals are only associated with a chord? i mean, you wouldn't fret out 1-4 and strum it and call that an interval? i understand that music is subjective and out of the context of the grand scheme of the song anything can sound "bad", but ... not sure what i'm asking here.

i mean i suppose 1-4 would be an interval for a chord that included the 4th. i don't even understand what i'm trying to say!

Well, i dont have a guitar around, but does he play these intervals over the D A Em G progression?

Anyway, i think what you are trying to ask if there are certain rules to using these intervals in combination with a basic chord structure. Also which intervals to use?

I hope that is kind of what you are asking?
Well, there are no general rules which intervals you use. You can take pretty much any of the notes in a chord, no matter if its the 1-5 or the b3-5 or whatever. Pretty much any interval of notes in a chord will sound "like the chord". And you don't always only have to use the notes within the chord but the notes in the certain scale. I think these "interval riffs" are a cool way to add some flavour to your song. Say you play over the bassnote "A". You could with an interval riff emphasize a quick change of chords e.g. use an "A" with a "D" to make it kinda sound like a sus4 chord. Or use a B to make it sound like a sus2 chord to the listener. Maybe also a G note in combination with the 1 (A) to make it sound like a dominant. But you could also use the G with the 5 of A (the note E).

the root and the 5 of a chord are strong tones. The 3rd determines whether its major, minor (maybe also dim, or aug) the 2 and the 4 can be used for a sus chord or add9 /add11 chords. So i hope you see, that with these interval combinations you can "spice up" a chord progression. But for a start i would stick to using the notes within a chord. The riff of "Arizona" by the kings of leon is also simple but very nice imo. They also only use the 1 and the 3 of the chords of the scale, but it sounds really great in combination with the bass note. Maybe you want to check it out?

Was that kinda answering your question?

greets

admiral

[quote=GuitarJoeThey are called harmonic intervals when just two notes are played at once.

"melodic or linear INTERVAL?"

http://musiced.about.com/od/lessonsandtips/f/melodicinterval.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melodic_interval

@Mici Here is a couple of sites with more info. It has to do more with how the notes are played than the interval itself. Both at the same time or picked separately.

Thanks, man. I'm gonna have a nice read of that.